Cupidity
by DM-sama
Summary: Zelda had no idea of the chaos she had willingly let lose upon her life. But though she becomes pawn to a wicked plot, she learns that even in the midst turmoil, one can find peace. GhiraxZelda AU
1. The Discovery

_**~*The Discovery*~**_

When Zelda awoke that morning, she had no idea of the darkness that would soon swallow her whole.

Of course, she had no reason to even suspect it. Having just woke up from a pleasant dream of her and Link on a picnic, she arose from bed that morning with a light feeling in her stomach. Stretching and yawning, she threw off the blankets, and shivered when her feet touched the cold floor.

_It's going to be chilly today_, she thought, rising to perform the morning routine. Her boots strapped, her hair combed, and her outfit donned, she walked out of the Knight Academy in an extraordinarily good mood.

Upon reaching outside, she began wondering what she was to do today. _If that lazy-headed friend of mine were awake, I'd ask him for a flight around the sky_, she thought, a certain annoyance etched into her thoughts. That plan was thrown out the window, as it wasn't anywhere near noon yet, and Link was still fast asleep.

"When he wakes up, I'll be there to scold him," she said to herself, grinning inwardly. "In the meantime, Skylark needs to stretch his wings, and I need something more than coffee to wake me up." Strolling over to the Leaping Dock Zelda took a running start, like she had so many times before, and leaped over the edge.

A burst of adrenaline immediately overcame her as she soared through the sky. _If only I had wings! _she thought ecstatically.

Zelda rose up her hands, and began to whistle loudly. Her Loftwing, Skylark, appeared from no where, and she reached for the harness. The moment she touched her bird, an instant sense of connection came upon Zelda with her bird. After a few seconds of flapping, the two were gliding.

With no particular destination in mind, they both drifted aimlessly, sharing their thoughts and their daydreams together. Lying down on her back, Zelda held the harness loosely in her hand, and began staring up into the sunlit sky, feeling very lazy. _A day in the life of Link_, she thought. Skylark chuffed in amusement, giving his wings a mighty flap.

The skies were almost empty today. As Zelda was usually the first to rise, that was no surprise. Why would anyone need to rush in a peaceful world like Skyloft? She blithely contemplated visiting Pumpkin Landing, as it was a good place for peace of mind when it wasn't overcrowded with customers, but she quickly disregarded the idea. Somehow she felt like she couldn't move for anything, even if the clouds barrier beneath her suddenly dissolved away.

_Liar_, Skylark whispered in her mind, and she grinned. Turning over onto her stomach, she gazed down at the cloud barrier below. Like always, she was caught up in the dreams and nightmares that surrounded it, wondering just what the clouds could possibly be hiding. Many of her kin believed it was nothing, just an empty black whole.

Zelda never truly believed that, even when she was a little girl and being told for the first the history of Skyloft, a piece of land scooped up from a doomed world. _Someday, we'll break through the barrier_, she thought. _Someday, we'll know for sure what its hiding_.

Skylark didn't respond. He never responded to her questions of the Surface. _A dark place_, he would whisper. _Must protect the people_. She lightly pressed her thumb to her lips, retreating deeper into thought.

That was when something flashed into her eye.

Caught off guard, she sat back up again. Skylark sensed her disturbance, and began to slow down, concern coloring his thoughts. Zelda's head was spinning around as she looked for the shiny object that had caught her attention. Nothing appeared, and just when she decided it was the sun, it flashed over her eye again.

She locked onto a small island a few miles ahead of her. _What is that_? she wondered, egging her bird to move towards it. He was, of course, confused why she was so struck by a shiny object, but began a descent. _Is it a rock? A diamond? There isn't supposed to be anything on the islands. _She squinted her eyes, trying to get a better look—

_CRASH!_

Zelda screamed in fright when something massive rammed into her bird, and the two of them began spiraling out of the sky. Panicking wildly, she pulled fiercely on her harnesses. _Careful, careful! _She sent out to Skylark, begging caution as he snapped his wings back out. There were a few unsteady seconds, but before long, they were gliding again.

Once again in control, Zelda almost cracked her neck as she swung her glare over to the perpetrator, expecting to face some unknown demon. The heated glower melted away from her face only to be replaced by a look of sheer disappointment.

"_HEY, ZELDAAA!_" shouted Groose, waving his arm madly as his Loftwing came flying up next to hers. She could see his goofy smile all the way from there, and shook her head in exasperation. _I was expecting some fight with a monster_, she lamented.

"Hello Groose," she shouted back. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Saw you flyin' around, and figured I'd join you!" he replied, looking as pompous as ever. "Not like I could let a lady go flyin' around on her own, not in good conscience!"

Rolling her eyes, Zelda couldn't help it when a tiny quirk twisted her lips. Groose may have been insufferable with his pride, but he did mean well. When Link wasn't around to drive him crazy with jealousy, he was actually quite bearable. With the question already on her tongue, she shouted back, "Do you know if Link is awake yet?"

He didn't look too happy with her question. "I wouldn't know, I left before I could tell," he said in snippy tones. Zelda took a quick glance up at the sun, and though her eyes instantly became sore, she figured that Link would soon rise from his bed like the zombie he was. Zelda doubletaked, chewing on her bottom lip.

"Can you go and tell him I'll be there soon?" she yelled. "I want to go check something." The very idea seemed to repulse him, but as soon as she began to bat her eyelashes, and jut out her lip, he eventually agreed. As he turned, Zelda spun her Loftwing around and set her eyes on the flashing light in the distance.

Jumping was a very risky task for almost any Loftwing owner, which normally resulted in forcing their bird to land. Not many have perfected this special move, but Zelda was one of the few that knew how to do it. Readying herself, she leaped off just as she flew over the island and began to soar. Skylark flew out of sight. As she drew closer and closer, she snatched up her handmade wind sail, and began to float peacefully onto the soft dirt.

_I do my best_, she praised herself. Neatly folding, and tucking away her prized possession, she looked back up. Whatever had been spotted must have been very small, as she did not see anything, at first, but the grass and dirt. She took a few cautionary steps forward, wondering for the first time if perhaps she was in any danger. The sky may be safe, but no one knew what the small, outwardly lands contained.

Taking two more small steps, her doubt was instantly washed away as she gazed up a small object lying in the dirt. Kneeling down, she looked upon it warily. Zelda wasn't in any way stupid, and would never go touch something willy-nilly that didn't belong to her. Still, after a few seconds of inspection, she began to feel slightly at ease, and reached out for it. She held it close for inspection.

It was an earring.

At first, she was so surprised that something as mundane as jewelry could have distracted her so much, and she clenched the thing in her fist in frustration. Taking a closer look, however, her expression became slightly dazed. It wasn't like any jewelry she's seen. It was diamond shaped, and a magnificent blue, the likes of which she's never seen before. It was almost mesmerizing, the way it sparkled in the sunlight.

_It must belong to someone_, she thought, though the thought didn't hold firm. Not many of the women in Skyloft even had their ears pierced, much less wore earrings. Besides, the way in shone and completely dazzled her in the light had her convinced that this object, whatever its origin, was as far away from Skyloft as possible. _This might just very well be from the Surface_, she thought in amazement.

Ever since she was a little girl, whenever she made an amazing discovery, her thoughts turned to showing it off to Link. Such as it was then, when she had caught her first Blessed Butterfly, so as it was now. Tucking the jewelry away in her pocket, she stood, and walked over to the edge of the floating island.

_I wonder who it belonged to,_ she mused as she leaped off into the clouds, whistling.

"Link!" Zelda exclaimed from above, eyeing the brightly dressed green figure on the ground. Jumping off, his smiling face was the first thing she saw as she jogged over and gave him a great bear hug. When he opened his mouth to speak, she lifted a silencing hand. "Before you say anything, I want to show you something I found," she said, her mind buzzing with excitement. Her fingers were already halfway to her pocket when a sharp voice suddenly barked out at them.

"_Link!_" cried Pipit, walking quickly towards the couple. Link shielded away from him like he was about to be hit, and Zelda flinched. "Link, what are you doing out here? There's no time for dillydallying, you're late for your conditioning!" His expression softened up a bit when he neared them, and threw Zelda an apologetic glance. "Sorry Z, but you know just as well as I how lazy he is. If we don't keep him in shape, we'll have a bright green frog on our hands." Zelda grinned at Link's mortified expression.

"By all means," she said, ignoring the glares he shot her. As Pipit threw a firm hand around Link's shoulders, she mouthed _I'll tell you later_. When the senior began exclaiming loudly how filthy Link's room was, and how knights should always have a clean room, Link sent her a look that said _I highly doubt it_.

She laughed as he vanished from view. With her only outlet gone, Zelda suddenly wondered what she should do next. _He'll be gone a while, and I haven't a clue where all my other friends are_. Feeling the urge to sit down, she walked over to a shady spot on the grass, away from any prying eyes, and sat. She reached into her pocket, and pulled out her fascinating discovery.

Even though the sun wasn't shining as bright, the diamond was still glimmering with all its might. It sparkled in such a way that Zelda got the feeling it was showing off for her. She sat there and watched the sparkling gem for what seemed like hours, and it took a long time for her to consider whether or not she should put it on.

_It looks so sharp_, she thought morosely as she gently fingered the hook. Figuring she's been through worse, she grabbed at her earlobe and poked around, trying to find the small puncture. Instantly, she cried out. _Yowch! _Yanking her hand away, she looked to see a small amount of blood had been drawn on her finger. Ear stinging, Zelda rose to her feet.

_I guess I should use a mirror_, she thought, feeling rather silly for not thinking of that in the first place.

Entering the halls of the Academy, she walked back up into her room. The vanity table tucked away into a small corner, having been heavily neglected over the years, sat there waiting for her. As she sat upon it, a cloud of dust arose, and she swatted it away, coughing.

Staring down at the gem, she tried placing it in the earring again. She worried that after years of disuse the small piercing had healed and closed over. It was certainly tricky attempting at opening it up again, and after a while she grew tired of trying. Opening up her drawer, she tucked it inside, and closed it. _I can look at it more later_, she decided, rising to her feet.

Closing the door to her room, intending to perform the day's activities, she didn't notice it when the dresser drawer suddenly snapped with a flash of light.

As Zelda leisurely walked around town, performing her usual chores and errands, there was not a word from Link. Occasionally she would see him performing the most strenuous of tasks, such as climbing the Light Tower without the ladder, but whenever she drew near, she would just smile and turn around. _No need to distract him, _she thought.

When the rushing excitement of finding a possible surface item faded the whole thing slowly slipped from her mind until she completely forgot its existence. After such a long day, she felt particularly drained of energy. Her growling stomach did no better to improve her mood, especially when she thought about all the other boys in the Dining Hall, eating every scrap of food.

It turned out that she didn't even have to worry about it. In the midst of the chaotic dinner rush as all the boys tried to snatch up the best food, she looked to the corner. Link, sitting silently at an empty table, had managed to save her two slices of meat and a delicious looking bowl of fruit. When she shot him a grateful look, he smiled, as if to say, _Of course_. The look was slightly dampened as he vaguely resembled a feasting chipmunk, but Zelda refrained from laughing as she took a seat.

"So, I saw Pipit running you around the Plaza today," she said, already digging into her food. If there was one thing she prided herself in, unlike the other dainty things of Skyloft, it was that she had a massive appetite. Just remembering the look of Link's face as she consumed those two freshly cooked chickens when she was eight years old would cheered her up on a rainy day.

Link, always the mannerly one, merely nodded as he blithely swallowed his food. The two remained silent as they breathed in their entrees, and as the mindless chatter began swirling around the cafeteria, she looked up from her fruit. "Hey, Link, I've been wondering…" He looked up from his porridge. Zelda opened her mouth, but then closed it again.

What she wanted to say was, _Do you think it's possible for things from the surface to find their way up here? _But hearing it again in her mind, she realized how suspicious it sounded. In fact, as she thought about the beautiful earring, a feeling of jealousy, an emotion she's never experienced before, suddenly overwhelmed her. It was irrational, she still felt it. Shaking her head, she mumbled, "Never mind."

He stared at her for a few minutes, before shrugging, and going back to his food. Zelda looked back down at her plate, and she felt rather queasy staring at it. Something, she didn't know what, had ruined her appetite. It might have been due to watching Groose stick grapes into his nose, but either way, she felt like going to bed.

Rising to her feet, Zelda nodded down at her friend, who attempted at smiling back, and said good night. She left the lunch room without any other trouble, face tightened together in thought.

Walking into her bedroom, suddenly feeling very tired, Zelda paused.

Sitting there on her bed was the object of her thoughts. _I could have sworn I put it in the drawer_. Looking over, the vanity looked completely undisturbed, and she looked back to the gem. An idea came over her with no warning, and before she knew it, Zelda was sitting by her vanity again, trying again to pierce her ear.

Unlike a few hours ago, the jewelry slid in with no questions asked. A tad bit dazed, she stared at herself in the mirror. Zelda felt a little silly as it wobbled around, her head about to topple over from the weight of it, but didn't move to take it out. She smiled, thinking, _I look really pretty in this..._

A wave of abstract dizziness came and went, and Zelda wondered just how late it was. Though it couldn't have been later than eight o'clock, she felt like it was four in the morning. Completely forgetting about the earring, she walked over to her closet, and quickly changed in to her white nightdress.

Normally, she would grab her lovely harp, and sing and dance with it until she was sure all of the other residents had fallen asleep. Now, due to her sudden tiredness, she just fell asleep without another word.

Her dreams that night were aimless and dark for many hours.

It wasn't until she was in her deepest of sleeps did the dream come upon her in a quick flash.

Curled up in some soft fabric, Zelda opened her eyes to blades of yellow grass. Blinking, she sat up and began to yawn. She was in the middle of a beautiful pasture, the likes of which didn't exist in Skyloft, that stretched out for miles. The sky was a tranquil orange, and the grass smelled like it had just been cut. Like all dreams, she didn't wonder how she came to be there as she moved onto unsteady legs. All at once she began giggling as the grass tickled her feet. This whole place made her feel soft, and warm, and fuzzy.

When she heard someone cry out her name, Zelda looked up to see Link, on the top of a small hill, waving her down. He looked overjoyed to see her, and began gesturing wildly for her to come to him. He almost looked like an angel with the way he was glowing and laughing. Smiling, she began taking very dainty steps, reveling in the softness of the grass, before slowly making her way over to him. Once she got close enough, he glided down the hillside, and vanished from view.

"Wait a second!" she cried out, lifting her nightdress as she climbed up the hill. At the top she could see him again, though he was much farther away from her. He was still waving, silently begging her to come for him, like he would die if she wasn't by his side. Running down the hill, Zelda laughed as her feet glided across the meadow, and began flying towards him. Link laughed merrily, and ran away again. No matter how fast she went she just couldn't catch up, though she wasn't troubled by it.

Suddenly, he vanished entirely. Running to the spot of where he was, she was surprised to see that she had approached the edge of a small cliff, and Link was at the very bottom. He held his hands out and continued his gestures. _Jump, Zelda! _He seemed to be saying. _Jump, and I'll catch you!_

Smiling, she stretched her arms out, and prepared her jump.

She was already halfway in the air when she was violently attacked.

All at once, she heard a vicious snarling in her ear, and claws wrapped themselves around her waist. A scream lodged itself in her throat, and she viciously tried to escape the demons' grasp. _Get away! Get away!_ It started to drag her through the grass, and the panic intensified. She tried biting and clawing, and even kicked into the air, but the demon was much stronger than her. Without warning, Zelda felt herself shoved her onto her knees, and a claw grasped firmly in her hair.

She awoke that night with her head dunked in water

Eyes shut tight, Zelda could suddenly feel dewy grass clenched in her hands. A feeling of reality rushed back to her. With a lurch, she snapped her head out of the river, breathing rapidly to appease her own pounding heart. She was suddenly met with the concerned gaze of the real, living Link. His face was contorted in terror. He removed his hand from her hair.

"Link…" she said, rubbing the water from her eyes. "Was I…was I sleep walking?" He nodded, his eyes burning with fear. Zelda blinked, trying to remember her thoughts concerning her dream. The more she tried to grasp the details, the more they seemed to slip away from her, and she cringed. Looking over, she realized that Link had dragged her away from the Wooden Dock. She had been about to jump.

She glanced back over to him. "I…I'm sorry…" she said. "I don't know what came over me." Trying to break the ice, she began to weakly laugh. "M—must have been a pretty good dream, then, right?" Link didn't respond, instead just shaking his head. Zelda frowned. _If he wasn't here, what would I have done? _He seemed to be asking himself the same thing.

"Well, we had quite the adventure tonight," she said. "But now it is off to bed for the two of us." Furrowing his brow, Link nodded and followed after Zelda as she walked back towards the Academy.

What neither of them knew, what either of them was blissfully ignorant of, was the absolute rage that the Demon Lord had then possessed.

**~*O*~**

**I told myself I wouldn't support this paring….but it's just been so **_**long **_**since I've shipped a crack couple. Canon pairings are just dull. ITACHI AND SAKURA FOREVERRRR!**

**MUST WRITE AS MUCH AS I CAN BEFORE I COME TO MY SENSES AND REALIZE GHIRAHIMxLINK MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE! HKDVNQAWJE!**

**Oh, god, what hast thou done to me, Ghirahim?**

**LEAVE A REVIEW; TELL ME I'M NOT CRAZY!**

***Eye twitch***

**~DM-sama**


	2. A Wayward Desire

**_~*A Wayward Desire*~_**

_Standing in the mist of total darkness, Zelda felt the fear shivering down her spin. Whichever way she turned her head, only darkness could be seen. She couldn't feel anything to bring her solace; no happiness, no courage; even the image of Link would do nothing to dispel the paralyzing fear that rooted her to the spot._

_It wasn't so much the blinded darkness that kept her so still, but the sounds it produced. Screaming, and snarling, and ripping, and shredding. All of a sudden, images flashed before her eyes, and she cried out in shock and revulsion. Her friends, her family, Skylark, all of the ones she held dear were burning before her very eyes, melting away into nothing with agony etched on their faces. _

_Unidentifiable monsters poured in from all corners of the sky, burning up and destroying the land she once called home. Horrified, she retched over violently, tears springing to her eyes when the smoke and ash burned her throat. She began screaming and crying, begging for somebody to hear her. She cried and cried until her lungs were sore, and her cheeks were wet._

_Suddenly, in a flash of blinding light, she was pulled into the darkness again._

_A faint whisper could be heard in the silence._

_Zelda spun her head around wildly, trembling in terror from her visions. The whispering grew louder and louder and louder, until her whole world was deafened by it. She tried blocking it out, screaming and thrashing, convinced that she had gone insane and been sent to Hell._

_As quickly as it started, it stopped. _

_She breathed slowly._

_A pair of cold hands latched themselves onto her shoulders._

"_Why, Your Grace, don't you know it's __**rude**__ to keep people waiting?"_

_All at once, the ground beneath her started trembling with abstract fury. The claw-like hands began digging into her flesh, and Zelda shrieked in fright. A pair of lips gently brushed passed her ear._

"_**Do not keep me waiting.**_"

Jolting up, Zelda placed one hand over her pounding heart. Her ears were ringing, and she struggled to control her breathing, drenched in sweat. As the lasting effects of her nightmare slowly slipped away, Zelda was met with the sight of her ceiling. She had fallen out of bed.

Slowly rising to her feet, she was struck with vertigo and her stomach lurched unpleasantly. She fell onto her cold bed, trying to calm down, telling herself over and over that it was only a dream, that none of it was real. Tears were streaming from her eyes. Steadying her breathing, the horrible visions slowly began fading though the shudders remained.

For all the awfulness of her friends burning alive, it was the cruel whisper that frightened her the most, that snakelike hiss in her ear. Its presence still lingered, and though it was irrational, Zelda was adamant in keeping her eyes shut tight. It was almost like she had been sent back in time, shivering in fright from the monster under her bed.

"_Zelda?_"

Zelda jumped up she heard a loud knock. Trying her best to fix her face, to conceal her childish terror, she turned to meet her visitor with a strained smile. The bright face of Karane greeted her, and Zelda released a _whoosh_ of breath.

"Good morning, Karane," she said, bowing respectfully to the senior. Karane waved it away; a note of concern touched her brown eyes as she looked at Zelda's messed up bed.

"I heard you shouting a few seconds ago, and heard a thump," said she, always one to get right to the point. "I figured something happened and came over. You okay?" Obviously Zelda's quick attempts to cover her mused expression did little to help. Thinking fast, she covered half of her face with one hand and began stretching, trying to obscure her puffy eyes.

"Oh, yeah, I was…uh…jumping around on the bed," she said hastily. "G—guess I just lost my footing and fell down. Hehe, silly me." Karane furrowed her brow in suspicion, and crossed her arms. Zelda silently prayed, begging her friend to buy her foolish story.

"Why, exactly, were you jumping on the bed?" she probed, and Zelda felt her mind trying to produce a feasible excuse. Unfortunately, after just arising from such a painful night, her brain was fuzzy and muddled. Any ideas that came for were lousier then the last.

"You know, just…trying to keep that inner child inside of me all happy," she mumbled, deliberately not making eye contact with her friend. Karane stared at her for a few seconds longer, before finally her eyes began to soften. She placed a comforting hand on Zelda's shoulder.

"I guess it's been a pretty tough week," she sympathized, a warm smile quirking her lips. "You look like you could use something to eat. Why don't you get dressed, and we can go to breakfast." Grateful at her concern, Zelda smiled brightly and nodded. At the prospect of food, her stomach began growling.

Falling into the robotic pattern of her early morning routine, she donned very light clothes, her brow still damp with sweat. Karane was waiting for her outside.

Upon arriving in the cafeteria, the senior sat her down and went to go get food. "You should just take it easy today," she had explained. "You're looking pretty frazzled." Zelda just smiled and nodded. Being the dainty daughter of the Headmaster, and overall village favorite, delicate treatment was not in any way new. Usually she would try to reject any offers for help, which ultimately failed, but right now she felt too weary to say anything when Karane came back with a whole tray of food just for her.

"Wasn't sure what you were in the mood for," she said, sitting down and handing over the utensils. "So I just grabbed one of everything." The food smelled so delicious that Zelda could barely wait to break apart her chopsticks.

Karane had only grabbed a few small pieces of fruit, which she quickly ate. Zelda guessed that she must have been in a bit of a hurry to have grabbed so little, and was proven right when she moved to stand. "Well, now that you're taken care of, I'd better tend to the rest of the town." Zelda tried to speak her gratitude, but as her mouth was full of strawberry, she just nodded.

"Oh, by the by, I had Link do some early morning patrols around town today," Zelda turned when the senior spoke. "If you want to go see him, he'll be somewhere around the plaza." With a quick wink, she rose from her seat, and made to leave the Dining Hall. "Cute earring," she murmured in passing, and then was gone.

Zelda's hand jumped up to her left ear in shock, having completely forgotten she was still wearing the earring. She gently touched its smooth surface. Instantly, she grew apprehensive. _I guess I forgot to take it off last night_, she resolved, trying to shrug it off. Still, she felt troubled, and it wasn't until she heard the loud, obnoxious sound of the other boys waking up that she successfully pushed it from her mind. _And that's where I make my exit_.

Once she breathed in the fresh, outside air, she felt suddenly revitalized. Inhaling a deep breath of air, she rushed down towards the plaza, having no problem in spotting her target. She cracked a wide grin.

"Doth my eye deceive me? Could it be possibly true? The one and only Link, actually _awake _before noon?" Zelda cajoled merrily as she skipped over to her knight in green armor. Link, looking thoroughly exhausted, barely seemed to have enough energy to grace a small smile. She playfully punched his shoulder. "Wow, what was that, only a whole ten hours of sleep? You poor man!"

He mumbled something about it being only nine hours, and she smirked. Both of their spirits lifted at the sight of each other, and they began a pleasant stroll around the plaza, each attempting small talk. Link began complaining loudly about Pipit's unruly technique of waking him up this morning which involved iced water and gravity, and though Zelda laughed, she only listened. She didn't care to talk right now. She was happy just to see Link's smiling face, to have his voice wash away all traces of her visions.

_The nightmare. _

She shuddered.

"Link," she started as silence befell. "There's something I want to talk about." As she halted in their slow stroll, he stopped beside her. _If there's ever a time to speak, it's now. _"It's just that…I had these…_dreams _last night and I…" The words seemed to stick in her throat, and she took a shuddering gulp. Even in the sunlight, in the midst of her closest friend, the presence of the sinister voice seemed to be breathing down her neck. "I'm not…they're not like anything I've ever seen before…"

_Do not keep me waiting_.

_What could that mean? _

Over the past few months, Zelda no longer denied she had been hearing a voice calling out to her, beckoning her forward to a place she didn't even know. Sometimes she heard it in the midst of her dreams, or even when she was wide awake. It was always accompanied with the feeling of strength and hope and dazzling happiness, and it made her want to sing.

The evil, sinister voice that she heard last night made her feel like no matter what she did, the world would burn before her eyes. It made her want to curl up in her room and cry for an eternity. Just remembering those lips brushing pass her ear sent a cold shiver running down her spin. She shut her eyes tight, trying to quell the rising feelings of panic.

She stirred when a warm hand caressed her shoulder. Slowly opening her eyelids, the sight of Link's kind, concerned face helped her to breathe easier. "I'm sorry…Link," she mumbled, her hands writhing in discomfort. "Maybe I'm just still freaking out over my sleep walking…i—it _was _a close call." She shuddered. "If you hadn't been there, I don't know what would have happened to me…" A flash of fear darkened her friend's eyes.

Seeming desperate to change the subject, Link looked over to the small, glittering earring, and gently turned it over, curiously inspecting it. Blinking, Zelda parted her lips, and curled her hand around his fingers. "Oh, I found this the other day while I was flying around." She smiled brightly. "I wanted to tell you about it, but I guess it just slipped my mind." Shrugging, she released a heavy sigh. All of her energy and vigor from this morning seemed to have vanished, leaving a heavy weight on her shoulders.

"I'm tired," she murmured, feeling the strong urge to curl up in the grass.

Without any warning, a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her, pressing her against Link's chest. "Don't you go and steal my act, Zelda," he murmured in her ear, sending pleasant shivers down her spin. Embraced in his warm caress, she linked her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. Whether it was his tender concern, his touch, or that minty scent of his she deeply inhaled, she suddenly felt a bit better.

"Thanks, Link," she said, feeling like she could stay there forever.

All at once though, a loud disturbance broke the moment. Zelda's eyes jumped to a few yards down the road to see a stern looking Pipit glaring up at them.

"I didn't send you on patrol so you can get touchy-feely with the Headmasters daughter, Link!" he barked, quickly approaching the cuddling couple. Zelda smirked at her friend's expression which was a mixture of mortification and exasperation, and she nearly busted a gut when the senior cuffed him on the head. "Why don't you focus on your work before bothering everyone else?" Head bowed in embarrassment, Link didn't meet his eyes. Pipit sent Zelda quick wink. "No worries, Z, I've got your back."

"Thanks, I don't know what I would have if you hadn't shown up," she exclaimed, her face cracking when Link shot her a lethal glare. "Well, you heard him, off with you!" She made shooing gestures with her hands, and in combination with the fierce look from the senior, Link reluctantly began walking away, dragging his feet and kicking up the dirt.

"Oh, _what _am I going to do with that guy?" said Pipit, rubbing his mouth thoughtfully. A few seconds of silence passed as he became lost in thought, and Zelda uttered a little cough to regain his attention. "Ah, sorry, Z, got a little side tracked there. So, are you feeling any better? Karane told me you were having an off day." Zelda nodded, still grinning in amusement.

"Yeah, I'm feeling loads better, thanks," she said. "Link always knew how to cheer me up." Pipit smirked knowingly, causing her cheeks to color heavily.

"Oh, young love," he sighed dreamily, and began to laugh. "I remember when we would find Link hiding away in your room almost every night, always coddling you after a nightmare. That reminds me of the day I met Karane. Of course, it was all on account of that weird little guy…what was it? Cawlin? Anyway, I was hanging in the academy when Link come over to me and said…"

Zelda wasn't listening, so she didn't quite know what Link had said. Instead, she was lost in her own memories. Yes, it was many times that Link had come up to comfort her when she had been feeling lonely in the dark. When they were little kids he would always sneak into her room for a sleepover, if only just to play. As they grew older, though, it became too peculiar for them to continue their little game, but Zelda still dearly missed those days.

Despite the nostalgia, the warm memories made her realize that this certainly wasn't the first terrible dream she's ever had. _People get bad dreams all the time, right?_ With that thought in mind, Zelda's lips curved into a very light smile, attempting to laugh at herself for reacting so terribly. _Of course! I was probably just really stressed out from the sleep walking spell! And this morning…it probably felt scary to be by myself…I always had Link there to comfort me_.

Zelda turned to give Pipit, who was talking about his first date with Karane, a very bright smile.

"Thanks Pipit, that's a great story!" she exclaimed, earning a surprised glance from the senior. Clearly he had forgotten she was there. "I think I'm going to go into town now, see what's new. Goodbye!" She began jogging the other way, giggling at his confused look. _He probably thinks I'm insane now_, she resolved, turning towards the road.

The bazaar was relatively empty when she arrived. Only the most punctual of workers and the occasional Blessed Butterfly were out and about. She shivered as the cool air inside the tent brushed passed her. Wishing for her windbreaker, she walked inside.

Almost instantly she could see Gondo tinkering away at his mysterious invention, a few patrons of the pub, the fortune teller, and a couple others. Figuring it was as a good a place to start as any, she headed over to the Scrap Shop.

"Good morning," she said merrily. Gondo nodded slightly in acknowledgment, continuing to hammer away for a few seconds before facing her with a big smile.

"Well, well, if it isn't Zelda!" he said. "What are you doing up so early? I'd figure you and Link would be racing around town on such a nice day."

"Pipit's got him working right now," she shrugged. Turning on her charm, she looked up to him and said, "I thought I might be able to help out around here, to pass the time."

"Ah, a scrap shop is no place for a nice girl to be hanging around," he exclaimed. "You might break your fingers!"

"There has to be _something_," she coaxed, folding her arms on the shop stand. Gondo seemed to think about it for a few moments, rubbing his chin, before finally snapping his fingers together.

"Y'know, you could go and get something for me," he said, leaning towards her like he was about to tell a secret. "See, I leant out this pouch to Rupin the other day, and he _still _hasn't given it back yet. I think it's somewhere in his back room. Mind fetching it for me?" Smiling brightly, Zelda happily agreed and nodded.

As she walked over to the Gear Shop, she passed the Fortune Teller tent along the way. Sparrot, the Teller, was gazing deeply into his crystal ball. Though he _seemed _magical and mysterious to any outside individual, Zelda could tell he was looking at his own reflection, admiring his self-proclaimed _gorgeous _eyes. Grinning inwardly, she continued on her way.

Rubin was not present as she walked into the Gear Shop, which wasn't unusual. The back room door was also unlocked, which brought a frown to her face. _Easy as pie_, she sighed, taking no trouble to walk right in. _Can't even stealing something be interesting? _Finding the small leather pouch was simple too, as it was hanging comfortably from a hook. She snatched it up and threw it over her shoulder. _It's cute at least! _

Making her way through the bazaar, she stopped when she heard something moan. Pausing, wondering if she was just hearing things, Zelda shook her head, and continued her walk. She stopped when the moaning became louder. Turning around, she was met with the sight of the Fortune Teller tent. The Teller was still gazing into his mystical crystal ball.

"_Gaaaaze into my eyes…the eyes know all…" _he murmured, just loud enough for her to hear. "_Mmmmmm." _She narrowed her eyes, amusingly remembering the last time she had been sucked into the mystical world of fortune telling.

She began to head over to the Scrap Shop.

"_Mmmmm!_" Sparrot moaned louder. "_The eyes see maaaany things…things you need not live without…_" Clearly, he was determined. _Don't fall for it again_, _Z,_ she resolved. "_MMMMMMMM!_" She cringed. _Oh boy…_

Finally deciding she had nothing to lose, Zelda walked over and kneeled down in front of the mystic tent. "Aaaah, you wish to see what these eyes can foretell, small child?" said Sparrot, looking like he had just noticed her. Still smirking heavily, she nodded.

"Yeah! What have you got for me, Sparrot?" she said, throwing him a red rupee, and rubbing her hands expectedly. It may sometimes be baloney, but it was always interesting to pay a visit to Sparrot. The Teller took the rupee, closely inspecting it, before deciding it to be authentic. Pocketing the money, he looked back down to the crystal.

"The eyes…the eyes know _aalllll_…what do they _seeee_…?" he began moaning again, and Zelda rolled her eyes. _He's probably going to foretell my sudden love for Groose or something_. She grimaced at the thought. _Ugh, perhaps seeing my own death would be a kinder fate_. All at once, a cloudy, purple aura covered the two of them, fascinating her as always. After a few seconds, he suddenly jolted. She waited patiently for her latest fortune.

"Ah…uh…they see…" he trailed off.

"Let me guess, _to the land of which you seek, bring a potion, shall you peak_?" she giggled, feeling particularly clever for her rhyme. She began smiling in self-glee, unaware of the darkened look in his eye.

"Not…exactly…" he mumbled, and she saw him frowning. _Playing it up again? Maybe he _did _see me with Groose? Ack_. He looked up to her, and her smile wavered at the concern in his eyes. "I see…well, I don't _see_ anything. I _sense_ a…" He paused, a touch of apprehension coloring his tone. "I've never felt such a thing before…" He trailed off, staring at his crystal in deep thought.

_Wow, he's really giving it his all_, she said, her smile strained. She began wishing she had gone straight over to Gondo, passing this mad hatter completely. He swung his gaze back up to her. "You haven't, by any chance…discovered any ancient…cursed relics have you?"

Zelda blinked in confusion, and began to shake her head, when her heart suddenly halted. Her hand snapped up to her left ear, where the diamond earring was still resting. He continued like she hadn't moved. "I have read about this sort of thing in the scrolls…just stories…the relic completely shadows the future of the wearer…cloaks it in darkness…but…they're just stories…"

"I—I—" Zelda began stuttering, panic clawing at her chest. The diamond seemed to be burning at her touch. The Teller's gaze slowly moved over to the diamond.

"_HEYA!_"

Zelda spun when Gondo shouted over to them. "Leave the poor girl alone, would'ja? She doesn't need you buggin' her!" The Teller didn't meet either of their eyes, continuing to look down upon his crystal ball. Unlike before, his eyes were especially troubled. Zelda jumped to her feet and ran over to the Scrap Shop. Gondo was still glaring over at the tent. "Ah, that guy is more trouble then he's worth. I hope he didn't bother you too much."

"N—no…it's nothing," she mumbled, the words ringing pathetically hollow in her ears. Gondo rubbed his temple with a guilty look on his face.

"This is my fault, I shouldn't have sent you anywhere near the fella'," he distressed. Zelda opened her mouth, to exclaim that she wasn't made of glass, but the weight on her left ear felt unusually heavy. She remained silent. "Why don't you hold onto that bag for me? Just as a way for me to apologize."

"Oh, no, I can't do that," she began protesting, but he cut her off.

"Take it; I have a million other bags anyway. Go on, before I waste more of your time," he said, starting to shoo her away.

"B—but I—"

"C'mon, before I throw ya' out," he said playfully, and Zelda smiled weakly. Clearly, she was no longer welcomed at the bazaar. Bowing in gratitude at her gift, for it was a great gift, she walked out of the bazaar with her head held low and her spirits even lower.

Even the sight of the cutesy Mia did nothing to cheer her up. The Remlit made no hesitation in running over to Zelda and rubbing happily up against her legs. Kneeling down, she gently scratched the kitten-like creature behind her ears. The Remlit rolled onto her back, purring heavily as she silently encouraged her stomach to be petted as well. Zelda laughed lightly and complied.

_Could it be…this beautiful thing…cursed_? She didn't even know why she was so desperate to not believe it. If this gem had been the reason for her darkened troubles, why would she cling to it so greedily? She's only had it for a few days, and yet…it was just _so _beautiful. _Oh, what does that crackpot know? This earring is harmless!_

Despite the encouragement, her spirits were quickly sinking.

**~*O*~**

**I still can't believe that I got eight reviews last chapter! To think, they're people out there who're crazier than me! Still, thank you guys so much, because I wouldn't nearly be as enthusiastic to write this if it hadn't been for that! Hoorah!**

**This is longer than I thought it'd be, anyway. Which is actually really good, but I **_**know **_**the reason you guys are here is for the Ghirahim love, so I promise he'll be present next chapter! Just got to set the ground work before this thing can really start writing itself...**

**~DM-sama**


	3. Burden

**_~*Burden*~_**

If anything, Zelda's spirits sank even lower as the day progressed. As she was no longer tolerated in the bazaar, she floated absentmindedly through the village. She didn't attend to any of her classes. The idea of taking flight made her stomach turn. Even plucking her harp strings seemed a strenuous task.

She began asking around town whether or not anyone's seen Link. Luv eventually told her that she had seen him flying off towards Pumpkin Landing a few hours ago, looking particularly zoned out.

It had been a few hours since her visit to Sparrot, yet his words were still resting heavily on her mind. _…the relic shadows the wearer…cloaks it in darkness… _Though she had long since decided that his prediction, or lack thereof, was ludicrous the words had struck a chord in her. The feelings were still fresh.

She took a seat on the bench just outside of the bazaar.

After hearing the chime of the academy's bell, Zelda watched as the students began to walk pass her on their way home. It was silly to think Link would have been there. Senior knights didn't have classes today. When Fledge, last in line, offered a tiny 'good day' her head sunk back into her hands.

"Heya, Zelda!" She looked up. Groose was standing just in front of her, his face donning that goofy smile. Zelda offered a teensy smile in return, folding her hands in her lap.

"Evening," she mumbled. He furrowed his brow, and then made to sit down beside her.

"Hey, Z, what's got you so down?" he asked. "I didn't see you in class today." Zelda was surprised to hear actual concern in his voice. Not to say Groose was usually uncaring for her, but that he was so oblivious to her emotions it was like staring straight into a wall. She realized how gloomy she must have appeared if even Groose could see it.

"Just…having an off day," she breathed. He nodded, and an awkward silence befell them. She briefly debated telling him about what was troubling her, but she feared that he would either call her crazy or think her stupid. Probably both.

"So, uh… did you ever find that thing you were looking for the other day?" he asked casually. Zelda's face clouded in confusion, then, with a small smile, she nodded her head. The earring jiggled with her movement.

"Oh, yeah, it was a piece of cake," she said gesturing at the earring. Like Link had done earlier, Groose grinned and inspected the diamond. Zelda lapsed back into silence, wishing desperately that she could discuss her troubles with him, with anybody. _Might as well. _"Hey, Groose… c—can I ask you something?"

"Sure, you can ask ol' Groose-y anything!" he exclaimed, bumping her with his elbow. Her smile quickly became strained.

"It's just that…" she began playing with her fingers, struggling to find the proper words. "It's just…have you ever had anything you loved so much, loved it to tears, but…you knew it was bad for you?" A stupid look came over his face as he tried to process her question.

"Yeah, I guess…I mean, I don't have anything _like _that but…" he paused. "I guess I know what you're getting at." Zelda leaned closer in fervor.

"A—and what would you do about it, this thing that you love?" she asked anxiously. Groose inspected her shrewdly. His eyebrow had long since disappeared in his hairline.

"You're not doing drugs, are you, Zelda?"

Zelda paused, blatantly surprised at such an accusation. A defensive look came across her face, and she lightly smacked his beefy arm.

"_No_, I am not doing drugs!" she cried out. He began to laugh heartily. Zelda openly sulked. "Answer the question, would'ja?"

"Okay, okay," he quickly amended, trying to get his chuckling under control. "Well, even if I did like this thing a lot, what's the point in keeping it if it's really bad for me?" She looked down at her hands, processing his words carefully. She looked back up when he began to speak again. "But I guess if you really_ loved_ something, it shouldn't be bad for you, right?" A few moments passed. Before long, she reluctantly nodded in agreement.

"I guess that's true," she mumbled. The earring seemed heavier. She had trouble keeping her head up.

"So, did I help you out?" Groose asked her. The concern had returned, and Zelda wasn't sure just how miserable her expression must have been.

"Yeah…yeah, thank you, Groose," she said, her smile flitting and hollow. "I'll see you at dinner, Groose."

"No prob! I'll even save you a seat!" he exclaimed. Her face hidden from his view, she allowed a small grin quirked her lips. _He'll never get the hint, will he_? Even still, she appreciated his surprisingly wise words. _Maybe I'll just share a bowl of ice cream with him. _

The Leaping Dock seemed like hours away as she slowly approached it. She briefly wondered if she should run, but her feet felt like sacks of lead. Gently, she grasped at the diamond's smooth surface. Self-doubt and qualms immediately washed over her, but she forced them down as she tugged at the earring.

For a moment she worried that it was stuck. It remained stubbornly still. After a few seconds of tugging, though, she eventually pulled it free. It still glittered and danced just as beautifully as when she had first seen it. Her fingers regretfully curled over it, and she began clenching it so hard that her hand quickly grew sore.

Without giving herself time to think, she reeled her arm back, and threw it over the edge of Skyloft. With one last magnificent flash, the earring sunk out of sight. Zelda shut her eyes tight and firmly told herself to look the other way.

Though she loathed admitting it, she felt as if though the huge weight that she had been carrying had been lifted from her shoulders; she didn't even realize it was there until it was gone. _Whether or not it was a curse, it was a bad influence on you, Z. _A smile that was mixed with regret and relief curled her lips. _Link would have killed you, you know… _

The intense relief was gratifying, but she couldn't deny the feeling of heartbreak at the loss of her treasure. _I'll never see it again…but now it's gone, and that's that. _She tucked it firmly in the depths of her mind.

Suddenly her neglected stomach began clawing viciously. _Dinner doesn't start for another hour…but maybe I can snag a few bites when the chef isn't looking_. "At least I'll be first in line," she muttered under breath. Feeling like the decision has been made for her Zelda minutely adjusted her leather pouch and dashed up the grand staircase that led to the academy.

Like she had predicted, there was no one present in the cafeteria except the chef, Rankip. At first she didn't see him until she peaked behind the buffet counter, where he was dutifully cooking. When their eyes met, he smiled warmly up to her.

"Why, hello, Zelda," he said. "You certainly are early." She tried to resist drooling as she inhaled deeply of the fresh food. Her stomach began riling itself up.

"Oh, that darned sun," she began to complain, stomping her foot. "It's always _lying _to me." Rankip began to laugh when her tummy began growling.

"Well, such punctuality should be rewarded either way," he conceded, already fixing her up a plate. After a few seconds, during which Zelda felt like she was about to die from starvation, Rankip held out a fresh plate of a mighty meat sandwich. _Mmmm, pastrami!_

"Thank you so much!" she exclaimed.

"Now you have to wait for everyone else to get their helpings before you come grabbing for seconds, you hear?" he said firmly, though his eyes were still twinkling.

"Does that include desert?" she asked.

"Of course not."

"Then I accept your terms."

Without hesitation she quickly whipped up a delicious bowl of butterscotch ice cream. She was far too generous with the whipped cream, though. Feeling extra greedy, she even made two bowls. It took some concentration to get both the sandwich and all her ice cream over to her table though once she settled down she nearly inhaled her pastrami sandwich.

Night had completely covered Skyloft when the first of the other students arrived. After about a half hour the cafeteria was over flowing with hungry individuals. A rather confusing line formed as they all tried to shove and push their way to the front. Zelda slowly ate her creamy ice cream, idly watching the confusion from afar. _Dinner and a show! _

Eventually Rankip rang the dinner bell, and it was complete chaos from there. She has never arrived so early to dinner and therefore never knew what a catastrophe the dinner rush was really like. Her mouth was agape as she watched. She blithely wondered how many times Link has had to deal with this, and she made a mental note to ask him about it later.

She kept a weather eye out for her friend, trying to sort through all the other boys in the mix. _Just think green_, she thought with a quirky grin. Twice she went back for more ice cream. Once everyone had gotten their food she picked up two more sandwiches, one more for her, and the other for Link.

Groose showed up at her table for a few minutes, and they chatted lightly. Eventually he was pulled back to his own table by his little gang, and she smiled as he said goodbye. The empty seat did a lot to remind her that Link still wasn't there. The cafeteria slowly began to empty. The uneaten sandwich began to grow cold. _That guy is probably asleep somewhere and forgot all about me_, she thought.

As the sandwich was too cold to be properly enjoyed, she regretfully threw it out. _Oh! That lazyhead made me throw out a perfectly good meal! I'll make him pay, believe you me!_ Despite the childish fit, Zelda couldn't deny the tight feeling in her chest as she thought about her missing friend. Never before has Link missed a meal. He was as generous with his appetite as Zelda was.

She toyed with the idea that Pipit just put him on another patrol, but it was quickly discarded. Pipit wouldn't ever work Link so hard. If anything Link should have been finished with his work hours ago. _He could be flying around the sky. _

So immersed in her worrying, she almost completely missed the brightly dressed figure that ran into her as she was walked by. At first she mumbled an apology. Then her head snapped up and she did a quick double-take. A sense of relief washed over her as she saw the back of Link's head.

"Hey Link!" she cried out, jogging up next to him. His face was obscured from her view. "It's about time you showed up! I was waiting for nearly an hour, and lost a perfectly good sandwich! I had thought you'd forgotten about me!" He didn't answer her. _That's odd… _She reached out for his arm. "Hey, what's gotten int—"

Zelda jumped back when Link tore his arm out of her grip. He continued his slow walk, and didn't look to her. Her jaw began to flap uselessly. "L—Link!" she said. He didn't respond. He reached for the doorknob, and as he vanished into his room, she got a small glimpse of his face. It was completely devoid of expression.

He slammed the door behind him.

She began blinking in shock. _Is…is he mad at me? _Instantly she began to review the day's contents, trying to remember anything she might have said that could have made him so angry with her. _Maybe…earlier this morning…when Pipit caught us… _Walking up to his door, she wondered if she should knock. Leaning over, she softly placed her head to the door.

Silence.

Zelda backed away. _He might be too stressed to talk…it's been such a long day…_ She walked away from his room and began walking up the stairs. _He never stays mad at anyone for long. Even Groose. _She became lost in thought, wondering what had gotten on Link's nerves.

When she entered her room, she cringed. It was still in the horrendous state she had left it in this morning. It seemed a lot worse now, though, as if time itself was making the room unspeakably messy. _When things go wrong, always blame time, Z_, she thought to herself.

Sitting down at her vanity table, Zelda stared at herself in the mirror. Her mind became lost in daydreams. The horrible visions returned to her, and she shuddered in stale fear. _That nightmare really could have just been from the stress of sleepwalking, though. And of course I would be feeling so down after such a terrible nightmare. Was it…a mistake? _

She looked at her reflection once more. With a sad thought, she remembered how pretty she had looked with the earring glimmering beautifully beside her. Now, she seemed oddly pale.

Zelda told herself firmly that there was nothing more that could be done about it, as it was forever gone into the clouds. Seeing no reason to regret her actions now, Zelda changed into her white nightdress, and turned off the lights. Briefly, she looked over to her golden harp, and wondered if she should perhaps play it tonight. She reached down and picked it up. Plucking half-heartedly at the strings, she sighed. Curling up in bed, she absentmindedly twanged the instrument, and hummed a little tune.

Eventually she fell asleep with the words still being breathed past her lips.

She awoke later that night when the door to her room slammed shut.

Jerking up in her bed, Zelda instinctively raised her harp above her head to use as a weapon. Her heart was thumping as she waited for something to move. Every shadow seemed like an intruder. When everything remained still, she moved to rub the sleep out of her eyes.

Blinking rapidly, she closely inspected her room. As far as she could tell in the dim lighting, she was the only living thing there at the moment. Looking out of her window, she overtly gaped when it was clearly the middle of the night, if not three in the morning.

_Who would be sneaking into my room at midnight? _Her thoughts were hazy and still boggled down from sleep. Warily she placed her foot on the stone floor, testing the waters. After a few seconds, Zelda threw off the covers and raced over to her lighting. When the whole room illuminated, she shut her eyes in pain. Zelda warily peeled her eyes for any sign of movement.

Opening the door behind her, Zelda swung her head from side to side. Nobody was skulking in the hallways. Turning back to her room, she lightly closed her door again. There was nothing to suggest that anyone had disturbed her possessions. _The noise could have just been a reflex from a dream…though I don't remember even having any dreams_.

It was in that second that she realized what was different.

Lying comfortably there on her dresser was a folded note.

She stared at it in bafflement. Vaguely, she wondered how long that had been there. _Unless the midnight creeper decided to drop it off? _There were many stories about a ghost that had possessed the downstairs restroom. The thought caused a shudder of revolt to course through her. _Ghosts? I don't believe in ghosts!_

_Oh, just open it would you?_ said a firm voice in her mind. Cautiously walking forward, she gently reached over and lifted up the mysterious paper. It was strategically folded around a solid object by a thin thread of string. Untying the string, the object rolled out into her palm.

She gasped in amazement.

There, resting in the sole of her palm, was the lost diamond earring. At first she was so surprised by the development she almost dropped it to shock alone. Quickly collecting herself, she glanced over at the neatly folded letter. The handwriting was exquisite, and within a second she recognized it.

_Zelda,_

_I was wondering if you would meet me in the Isle of the Goddess. I have something really important to tell you. _

_P.S. Found this while I was flying around today. Try not to lose it again._

—_L_

A smile curved her lips.

She gently turned the earring around in her palm as she mulled over the note's contents. _What could be so important_? All at once, a small, fluttering feeling started to form in the pit of her stomach. _Is he…is he going to tell me that he…_ The thought alone caused her cheeks to color drastically. Her hand covered her lips as she tried to contain her giggling.

Rushing over to her closet, she swung the doors open. She slid on her shoes, having little difficulty as she hopped her way over to the door. At the very last second, Zelda decided to take her harp with her. _What's a night without a little music? _Reaching over for her pouch, she opened it up, and placed the harp inside. _Perfect fit!_

Her thoughts turned back to the earring. The Teller's words seemed like a long a lifetime ago.Walking over to her mirror, the hook slid effortlessly into the small puncture. She gazed openly as it continued to sparkle and glow with all its might, hypnotizing her.

Throwing the bag over her shoulder, she stood and approached the door. It seemed extra squeaky tonight as she slowly opened. Students weren't allowed out of bed this late at night due to curfew, which made the whole thing more exciting. Cautiously she closed it behind her, keeping out a vigilant eye. _Coast is clear_.

Trying to resist the urge to skip, she offered the same caution with the exit door. Not many of Skyloft ever dared to venture out at night, fearful of the wrath of Mia and all her Remlit buddies. Only seniors like Pipit were allowed free venture, and the few brave individuals like Zelda. And by few, she meant only herself.

The night air was crisp and cool, and she breathed deeply. She began to head to the stairway that led to the Statue of the Goddess.

As she approached the staircase, Zelda paused. At the very foot of the first step was a tiny, fluffy figure pacing back and forth. It was Mia the Remlit. Zelda chastised herself for forgetting about her, as the Statue was a part of Mia's territory. Being the alpha Remlit, she had the most territory.

Raising her skirt, she began to lightly tiptoe her way over to the stairway. As she reached the third step she winced as it creaked loudly. _Stupid step! We need to get that fixed!_

Mia whirled over and landed on her paws. Her yellow eyes were staring straight up to her and her fur was all puffed up. Before Zelda could even blink, the Remlit began to charge at her, teeth ablaze, as she aimed directly for her mistress's leg. Zelda let out a sharp bark, and lifted her hand as if she were going to slap the cat on its head.

"_No!_" she reprimanded. Mia almost instantly began to cower, hiding her head underneath her paws. Clearly she remembered the last time Zelda had taken a night stroll. "_Bad _Mia. _Bad_." Leaning down she began to stroke Mia's soft fur, ignoring the low growling sounds the Remlit made. Readjusting her leather pouch, Zelda turned and walked up the staircase. _Such a weird cat_, she thought to herself.

As she slowly approached the mighty statue, thoughts of her encounter with the Remlit faded from mind, and a small smile curved her lips as she thought of Link and what he wanted to say to her. _Could he really want to tell me…_? She began giggling again.

_Careful Z_,_ you shouldn't jump to conclusions! What if he has something really serious to say? _She frowned.._ He won't appreciate it to know about your daydreams of his proposal_.

That thought sobered her up a bit. As she reached the very top step of the stairway, Zelda braced herself.

Things went wrong almost immediately.

Link was standing at the very edge of the clearing, his person hidden in the Statue's shadow. Inhaling a deep, calming, breath, Zelda tried to compose herself as she took the first few steps into the clearing. "Link!" she cried out, her smile positively radiant.

It was almost surreal as she briskly jogged over to him. She was unaware of his lack of response as she came closer.

When she was ten feet away from him, Link suddenly sagged down onto his knees. Before she could react, he slumped completely onto the ground like an unstringed puppet.

Never once did he utter a sound.

Zelda halted in her tracks, her mind numb with shock. "L—Link...?" His face was now visible to her, and what she saw caused the color to drain from her cheeks. His eyes were wide open. What was usually radiant and warm now seemed to be cold, lifeless, and dead.

Her mind was still too shocked to realize what was happening, but her heart ceased beating. Her body moved all on its own as she rushed down over to the limp figure. Rolling him onto his back, his dulled eyes stared blankly up to the night sky. "No, no no..." she mumbled.

Acting on impulse, Zelda placed two of her finger on his neck pulse, her breaths coming forth in quick, short gasps. When nothing could be felt, she briskly placed her head on his chest, immersing herself in deep concentration.

_C'mon, c'mon, you can't be…you can't…_

She choked on a dry sob.

After what seemed like hours Zelda snapped her eyes open when she heard the smallest of sounds. Remaining motionless in baited breath, she listened closely. She could hear the faintest heartbeat. Hope began fluttering in her chest. She looked back up to his deadened face.

"_Link_," she said, her voice cracking. "Can you hear me? Link?" _What happened to you_?

A few seconds passed, and she heard a small sound. Zelda leaned closer to him, her eyes glistening with tears. "Link? Link, wake up!" she begged, slapping his face. Link, however, remained completely immobile. The sound continued to emanate. It began growing louder as the seconds passed by. Zelda blinked in confusion, before suddenly realizing what it was.

It was laughter.

All at once, she could see a pair of grandiose eyes staring down at her in the total darkness. When Zelda made eye contact the figure let out an icy chuckle. It slithered menacingly down her spine like iced water.

"_Humans_," the shadow said in a sultry voice. "Always _so_ easy to play with." The eyes were glaring intensely down at her.

…_that voice…_

She clenched onto the comatose Link. The figure seemed to take great amusement in her movement. She could see it's teeth glinting in the moonlight.

Without warning, it vanished.

"I think you should be more concerned with _you, _at the moment," said the ethereal voice. A picture of a small mouse dashing away from a big cat fluttered under her eyelids. The shadow reappeared, immersed in the darkness casted by the Statue's bulk. Its eyes were glinting.

…_the nightmare…_

Paralyzing fear completely washed over her.

"You…you were the one in…" she choked. All of the nightmares images came roaring back to her, fresh and born anew. _No…it can't be true. It was just a dream!_ The shadow began to sigh lamentably, beginning to move.

"Of course, you'll have to forgive me for burdening you with my poorly concealed rage like I had done. But you just have to understand. After years and years of waiting and watching and planning, even one as patient as I can become…testy." He took a pause, seeming to be trying to control himself.

In another odd spark, he was gone again. Zelda couldn't move. The panic had left her completely immobile. "To know I had caused such a fair lady such displeasure, all on my inability to control my emotions…my _desires_…I can never forgive myself!"

She could feel the dark presence behind her. "I had _hoped _you would just walk off that little platform and fly gracefully into my arms, like a good little girl. When that _boy _came out of nowhere and so easily shattered my control on you…" A hand gently grasped the very top of her head, and began to stroke her hair. Zelda could barely register the action, having long since become numb from shock.

"You…" she struggled to breathe. "That…you _possessed_…"

He chuckled. She could sense him moving.

"Your mind is considerably stronger than I have anticipated, Your Highness, to be able to block itself so thoroughly from my influence. A gift from the Goddess, I imagine." With an exaggerated slowness, Zelda felt the shadow place both hands on her shoulders. "And for you to so carelessly throw my gift away…it nearly shattered my heart…"

Out of everything that had transpired, it was only now that her breathe caught.

A scream was ripped from her throat.

With a sudden blast of force, Zelda felt herself shoved into the air. Time seemed to suspend itself until she landed painfully onto the ground. All of her breath _whooshed _out of her and stars danced under her eyelids. The shadow began to laugh manically as she struggled to prop herself up.

Her vision swam as she struggled to keep the dizziness at bay. The shadow was nothing more than a blur. "You…_the earring_… you cursed it…?" _This is just a nightmare! He can't be real!_

"And it was all almost a wasted effort," the figure sighed again as if the news distressed him. "But who could have guessed that this boy, this _hero_, would have saved everything, to have miraculously caught it while it was so far gone into the sky…?" It was staring hungrily down at the lifeless Link. "And his mind is not nearly as strong."

When Zelda's vision was finally restored, her arms and legs seemed to transform into lead.

Standing before her was a demon unlike anything's she's ever heard of before. All of her perceptions of monsters from Hell were grotesque images that would have her crawling under her bed sheets, mewling in fright and revulsion. But there were no horns, no blood red eyes, and no snout. Instead were bright clothes, beauty, and pure white hair. She vaguely thought he looked more like a fairy, with his enchanting eyes and striking body.

He was absolutely beautiful.

Zelda cringed in horror.

"But why…" she choked. Her shuddering completely devastated all ability to move. "…you want me…dead…?" His lips curled into a maniacal, cruel smirk.

"Such an adorable girl," he muttered. "I don't want you dead, _very _far from it. I'd be heartbroken if you should ever die." With the very tip of his foot, he turned over his head limply so that Link's eyes seemed to be staring straight at her. "_He_, however, is particularly…_expendable_."

"_Don't you touch him_!" Zelda bit out. A spark of pure rage flashed through her, giving her enough strength to leap to her feet. When he raised his glinting eyes again, the paralysis returned viciously. Despite her shaking legs, she firmly held her ground. He sneered at her.

"Oh, of _course _not, Your Majesty," he said. To her indignation, he took a wide step over the unconscious Link. His eyes were boring holes into her, and seemed to completely shut out his surroundings.

"_Now_, listen to me as I speak," he said, his tone slithering into an almost deadly hiss. With every smooth step he took towards her, she took a shaking step back. "I have come a very long way to come collect you, and have placed much effort to make it as _painless _as possible. You, being the darling girl that you are, are going to come with me without any fuss." Zelda was struck speechless. By the time she found her voice, she had backed into the stone wall.

"I—I—" she stumbled, holding out her hands in front of her.

Suddenly, the fairy's hand lashed out at her.

The moment she made contact with his gloved hand, Zelda began screaming in pain.

In a flash of light, she suddenly found herself reliving the events of her nightmare. The fire was engulfing. The screams seemed to be louder. Faces began swimming up to her; Karane, Pipit, Rankip, her father Gaepora. All were screaming violently in anguish. Skylark was melting to bones before her eyes. Her home was burning. A mountain of bodies rose up as tall as the Statue of the Goddess.

Most prominent of all, the only thing that she could see, was Link. He was screaming and crying and calling out for her. The monsters were ripping him limp from limp as his body was decaying to nothing but flesh and ash. Then he looked directly at her, and it was then that Zelda felt her soul crush.

In his eyes burned pure agony.

Her vision swam before her eyes, and her chest was heaving violently. She was trembling so hard that her very bones were shaking. The only thing that kept her from fainting to the ground was the clawed hand clenched in her hair. The fairy was smiling, eyes dancing, enjoying her screams and cries.

"Now that you know just what I can do to your precious little village," he whispered, so close that his nose brushed past hers, "perhaps you'll be much more _inclined _to honor me with your presence."

Zelda was shell-shocked. Her face was pale, her eyes were wide, and her jaw was slacked open. He _tsked. _Eyes blearily passing over the empty clearing she looked as a smaller figure entered her line of sight.

It was Mia the Remlit. The little demon stalked over to Link, and sniffed at him. _Help…help me… _Her jaw flapped as she tried to form the words. The demonic Remlit looked over and its fur puffed up when it saw her and the fairy. A flare of hope sparked in her chest.

A clawed hand grabbed her chin roughly, and forced her gaze back to him. "_Listen to me_," he bit out. His perfect, alabaster face was contorted in cold fury.

As soon as the words were breathed passed his lips Mia pounced, her razor sharp teeth digging into the flesh of his leg. With a cry of outrage, he lurched back, trying to shake off the spitting and hissing Remlit.

Zelda saw her opportunity.

During his lapse of concentration she wrenched herself from his grip, and ran. The darkness was absolute. She stumbled and twice fell, but ran and ran with determined intensity. _Have to get away…_ An image of Link flashed in her mind and she choked on a sob. _I have to get help…_

When she approached the village, she began screaming at the top of her lungs. She could only articulate incoherent nonsense, merely hoping that someone would hear her, that she wouldn't be caught. _It's a bad dream…it's just a bad dream… _

In the midst of her screaming for help Zelda felt her throat start growing fuzzy.

Suddenly her arms began to grow heavier and heavier, and her legs felt like they were moving through molasses. A huge weight was placed on her shoulders, and she dropped onto her knees, quivering in fright and exhaustion. An almost sleepy feeling tugged at her eyelids, and she began shaking her head wildly, trying to dispel the sensation.

A warm feeling was spreading though her limps, all the way to the tips of her fingers to her legs. Her feelings of fear and dread were slowly becoming fuzzier and dulled, until all she could think about was how much she wanted to curl up in the soft grass. _I'm…I'm falling asleep… _she thought, her eyes heavy.

Zelda felt soft hands lightly rest on her shoulders, gently massaging her. _"Why, my lovely princess, you must be absolutely exhausted," _a beautiful voice whispered in her ear.

A pair of arms wrapped around her, and she felt the hazy sensation of being lifted into the air. She didn't understand it when tears rolled down her cheeks as she slowly floated away into oblivion.

**~*O*~**

**Hey everyone! Guess what I've decided upon completing **_**Skyward Sword **_**last week? I have decided that this ficlet is now %100 **_**SPOILER-FREE! **_**To those who haven't finished the game, you can rest easy as you read this story. To those who **_**have **_**finished the game, well, aren't you all in for a surprise! **

**Oh yeah, did I mention I hadn't finished the game when I started this…? **

**Now, about the chapter. I hope you all liked dearest Ghirahim here. I think I portrayed him rather well, considering it's, well, **_**him**_**. I feel rather bad for Link, though. I place him through **_**way **_**too much torture. But hey, we're rounding third base, and now it's onto some good ol' Surface time! More specifically GhiraxZelda tiem!**

**~DM-sama**


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